Brabant

Noord-Brabant is a province of the Netherlands (with about 2,411,000 inhabitants) and a former duchy, which was incorporated by the dukes of Burgundy into their possessions during the 15th century. In the 1540s, the Duchy of Brabant was one of the 17 counties and duchies that were united by the German emperor Charles V(of the house of Habsburg, the heirs of the Burgundians). During the Revolt of the Netherlands against King Philip II of Spain, part of the duchy was conquered (Staats-Brabant) by the armies of the States General of the Dutch Republic. This part remained predominantly Roman Catholic. Before the Revolt, the important cities in Brabant were Antwerp and Brussels; in the present provinceof Noord-Brabant, the primary cities are ’s Hertogenbosch (the capital), Eindhoven, Breda, Tilburg, and Bergen op Zoom. The province has become more industrialized since the 19th century (textiles, electronics, cars). Yet Noord-Brabant also contains several national parks, including the Groote Peel and the wetland of the Biesbosch.